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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 7 · The Science of God · 15 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 7.4.25-26

Who is speaking and story frame

मा भैष्ट विबुधश्रेष्ठा: सर्वेषां भद्रमस्तु व: ।

मद्दर्शनं हि भूतानां सर्वश्रेयोपपत्तये ॥ २५ ॥

ज्ञातमेतस्य दौरात्म्यं दैतेयापसदस्य यत् ।

तस्य शान्तिं करिष्यामि कालं तावत्प्रतीक्षत ॥ २६ ॥

mā bhaiṣṭa vibudha-śreṣṭhāḥ

sarveṣāṁ bhadram astu vaḥ

mad-darśanaṁ hi bhūtānāṁ

sarva-śreyopapattaye

jñātam etasya daurātmyaṁ

daiteyāpasadasya yat

tasya śāntiṁ kariṣyāmi

kālaṁ tāvat pratīkṣata

Translation

The voice of the Lord vibrated as follows: O best of learned persons, do not fear! I wish all good fortune to you. Become My devotees by hearing and chanting about Me and offering Me prayers, for these are certainly meant to award benedictions to all living entities. I know all about the activities of Hiraṇyakaśipu and shall surely stop them very soon. Please wait patiently until that time.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Brings Direct Contact

  1. 1

    The Lord told the devotees not to fear and invited them to hear, chant and offer prayers to Him. He knew Hiraṇyakaśipu’s activities and asked them to wait patiently for Him to stop them.

  2. 2

    Understanding, seeing or speaking with the Supreme Personality of Godhead depends on advancement in devotional service, or bhakti. All devotional activities are means of direct contact with Him.

  3. 3

    There is no fundamental difference between seeing the Lord, offering prayers and hearing His transcendental sound. Performing kīrtana and hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa is actually seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly.

Key points from the purport
  • The vibration of the Lord’s voice appeared in the presence of all the devotees, and although the person vibrating the sound was unseen to them, they were meeting or seeing the Lord because they were offering prayers and because the vibration of the Lord was present.
  • Contrary to the laws of the material world, there is no difference between seeing the Lord, offering prayers and hearing the transcendental vibration.
  • Performing kīrtana and hearing the vibration of the sound Hare Kṛṣṇa is actually seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Pride and rage → Oppression. The ruler's power intensifies his insecurity.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 7: Hiraṇyakaśipu's ascent and intimidation. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 4: Hiraṇyakaśipu Terrorizes the Universe

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Since Hiraṇyakaśipu was the oppressor of all the demigods, the followers of the Vedas, the cows, the brāhmaṇas and the religious, saintly persons, and since he was envious of the Supreme Lord, he would naturally be killed very soon. Hiraṇyakaśipu’s last exploit would be to torment his own son Prahlāda, who was a mahā-bhāgavata, an exalted Vaiṣṇava.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 7.4
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. mādo not
  2. bhaiṣṭafear
  3. vibudha-śreṣṭhāḥO best of learned persons
  4. sarveṣāmof all
  5. bhadramthe good fortune
  6. astulet there be
  7. vaḥunto you
  8. mat-darśanamthe seeing of Me (or offering of prayers to Me or hearing about Me, all of which are absolute)
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Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Poṣaṇa · Protection by the Lord

    How does the Lord care for His devotees? · Subject 4 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 7.4

    In this verse: “chanting”, “hearing”, “chant”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 7.4

    In this verse: “devotees”, “devotional service”, “bhakti”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 7.4

    In this verse: “fear”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How would my hearing and chanting change if I approached them as direct contact with the Lord?

Practice

Spend two minutes chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and attentively hearing the sound.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayDevotional Service Brings Direct ContactThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 7.4.25-26? Get an answer from the verses themselves.